The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-29
READING FOR THE DAY.
sunday-school Lesson for juno 5, 1887

Sunday-school Lesson for june 5, 1887.
THE MANNA.-Exod. xvi. ALP.
Golden Text-Jesus said unto them, am the bread
of hfe.-John vi IS.
After the children of Israel crossed the Red
sea they entered Immediately into ''ths wilder
ness of Shurv (Exod. xv.se2), and from this time
forward for generation they among the
deserts and >antans of Arabia, where they
needed frequent miracles to preserve them
alive A few hundreds of Arabs today manage
to keep up poor, half-starved existence where
from two TO three millions of Israelites were
abundantly fed aad nurtured. Every traveller
In that country is convinced that 1.-THE land
proves the book" and great nation could
have possibly lived in that region for forty years
without the miraculous aid of God. There have
been, undoubtedly, very great changes in the
vegetation. and soil, and climate of the region.
but nothing sufficient to have ever made it equal
to the support OF so many people.
BREAD AND WATER FROM GOD.
In the true sense our daily bread comes from
heaven, whether by means of the slow processes
of natural growth preparing the grain, or by the
miracle that multiplies the loaves and feeds the
5000 hungry mep. The power and wisdom of
God is needed in both alike But God is more
apparent in the quick instant act that
makes ready in a night the food necessary for o
nation, and we more surprised over the hand
of God in the miracle than in natural law.
There have been many efforts made to explain
away the supernatural element in the mamma
wilderness and to show that it the result
of natural law. There is to-day a dropping from
the twigs of the tamarisk-tree, sweet. soft
palatable gum, used a condment and medi-
cine rather than food that is called
mamma. We now know from the monuments
that the Egyptians we're familiar with it. and
their name instantly suggested TO the lsraelites
the name given it. because of the similarity of
the mamma to that known in Egypt. But this
mamma does not dry and harden that it can
be ground like grain. as did the true mamma, nor
does i fall months of
and they do not now gather in all that region
moro than enough each year to feed one man.
The true mamma fell each day, save Sabbath,
and could not be preserved beyond their imme-
date need.
We now know also of ''the mama rains" the
showers that pour down from the clouds. edi-
BILE llchen to the depth of several inches. 1t is
lifted from the rocks by the winds and carried
long distances. This is gathered and dried. and
has many of the properties of Bible mamma, and
is called in the East bread from heaven" But
this is most uncertain and irregular in it's COM
ing, sometimes not appearing for many years.
aud to suppose a sufficient quantity ty either of
these methods would imply greater miracle
than that given IN the Bible. We simply can
not account for their being fed without the aid
of n miracle.
After crossing the Red sea they came to Marah,
where Moses wrought miracle to sweeten the
waters They turn from Elm and travel
into 1.-THE wilderness of Sin" xvi, II. when they
again murmur against Moses and Aaron, the
representatives of Jehovah, VINO led them cut OF
Egypt. But they are nation of children, aud
Tod bears with th0m In the nope that Win
added years and the higher moral education
and conservation of Sinai they will become a
royal and manly nation.
SOME APPLICATIONS.
l. 1t was a great fall from the grand song of
victory on the banks of the Red sea to the low.
selfish murmurings of the desert They saw the
folly of it afterward. We may learn the lesson
not to judge of Gods ways question His pres
ence and goodness when we are under the power
of any appetite suffering from any pain. The
lower nature ls strongest then, and will tyran-
nize over reason. aud faith. and love.
2 God provides not only for years, but
for each separate day, and would have us make
of each day round, complete life in itself We
need daily spiritual bread really bodies
need food. We more feed our souls with
memories than our bodies with sweet odors We
should daily come to Gods holy word to
feast of bounties.
3 The idea of the weekly Sabbath is written
in the primal laws of our being, and is as old
Eden. 1t was re-enacted in solemn form at
Sinai, and surrounded with penalties and bless
ings. We need to act it and give to it a far
higher place in religious life. The outer
courts Of sacred usage being violated, the wild
beasts OF passion and infidelity will violate
the most sacred shrines Of our religion.
4. Whenever God leads men into any narrow
or desert way he has way of preserving
them in trouble and leading them out In tri-
umph.
s. Even the bread of heaven. the truth from
God, unless 1t be used in building character and
helping men. may breed worms The highest,
purest doctrines may be kept that they be-
a high and holy faith unless we are hard at
work to apply it. 1t may otherwise become Of
fensive to good men.